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Dynamic hand splintsRelated Patent Categories: Surgery: Splint, Brace, Or Bandage, Orthopedic Bandage, Splint Or BraceDynamic hand splints description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060211964, Dynamic hand splints. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a nonprovisional patent application of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119(e) to, U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/635,332, filed Dec. 10, 2004, which provisional patent application is incorporated by reference herein. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT [0002] All of the material in this patent document is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are reserved. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention generally relates to orthoses and, in particular, to dynamic hand splints. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] Many people suffering a neurological injury from stroke, cerebral palsy, brain injury, etc., have upper extremity impairments. Many have some shoulder and elbow movements, but are unable to extend their wrist or fingers to grasp an object. This is usually due to hypertonicity, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,293 as a condition where the flexor or extensor muscles in the upper extremities are spastic and resist positioning. Dynamic splints can be used to offer slight resistance to hold joints in certain positions. An effective dynamic splint designed to be used for hypertonicity must offer enough force to balance the effects of the increased muscle tone. Such a dynamic splint is disclosed and described, for example, in United States Patent Application Publication No. US2003/0162634 to Farrell et al. Embodiments of the present invention present yet additional, alternative designs for a dynamic splint. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] The present invention includes many aspects and features. Moreover, while many aspects and features relate to dynamic hand splints and orthoses, and are described in detail with respect to preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to such preferred embodiments. [0006] A dynamic hand splint includes as elements thereof: a forearm support section and a hand support section that are configured to be releasably attached to a forearm; and one or more finger tensioners that are releasably attached to the hand support section and that are configured to be releasably attached to a respective finger such that, when the finger is flexed from an extended position toward a flexed position, the finger is urged by the finger tensioner toward an extended position. [0007] In a feature of the invention, each finger tensioner is semi rigid and extends outwardly from the hand support section in a direction away from the forearm support section. [0008] In another feature, each finger tensioner comprises a resilient strut and includes a strap proximate a distal end thereof that is dimensioned and configured to wrap about a distal end of a respective finger to which the finger tensioner is to be attached. The strut may comprise a resilient rod or a strip of spring steel. [0009] In a feature of the invention, the finger tensioners comprise resilient struts having varying degrees of resistance. [0010] In another feature, the dynamic hand splint further includes a finger sleeve having a pocket in which a finger tensioner extends. The pocket preferably is configured to extend along a dorsal side of the sleeve, and the finger tensioner preferably comprises a resilient rod or a strip of spring steel. [0011] In still yet another feature, the finger tensioner comprises a resilient band that is threaded through a plurality of raised guides that are secured to a respective digit sleeve. The finger tensioner preferably is threaded through the guides from the distal portion of the digit sleeve to the proximal portion of the distal sleeve and includes a stop or cap for engaging the distal guide to keep the band from being completely pulled through the distal guide. The guides are raised and serve to support the band at a point above the sleeves and out of abutment with one or more joints of the digits, especially during flexion of the finger. [0012] In a feature of the invention, the forearm support section comprises a flexible tubular member that is dimensioned and configured to surround and provide a friction, interference fit on a forearm. The forearm support section may comprise a strap configured to be wrapped about said flexible tubular member to secure the forearm support section to the forearm, with the strap including hook-and-loop type elements for engaging corresponding hook-and-loop type elements on an outer surface of the flexible tubular member. Additionally, the hook-and-loop type elements on the outer surface of the flexible tubular member preferably are integrally formed as part of the flexible tubular member during an injection molding process. The hand support section also may include an area of hook-and-loop type elements on a volar side of a base thereof and the forearm support section may include an area of mating hook-and-loop type elements on a dorsal side thereof, wherein the hand support section and the forearm support section comprise non-integral pieces releasably attached together. [0013] In a feature of the invention, the forearm support section comprises a malleable material and includes a bend therein, whereby the forearm support section is configured to determine an angle at which a wrist will be disposed relative to a forearm when the forearm support section is donned. [0014] In still yet another feature, each finger tensioner is pivotally mounted to the hand support section for rotational (adductional and abductional) movement relative to the hand support section, whereby the finger tensioners may be splayed. Once properly oriented, a screw can be tightened to lock the tensioner in the desired orientation. [0015] Each finger tensioner also may be mounted to the hand support section through a member that is mounted to the hand support section for sliding movement relative thereto, in accordance with still yet another feature. In this respect, each finger tensioner preferably is thereby linearly movable relative to the hand support section to allow the finger tensioners to travel with and remain positioned over the respective finger throughout flexion and extension. The member preferably slides on a housing and the housing preferably includes a compression spring that is configured to collectively urge the finger tensioners toward the housing upon flexing of the fingers to which the finger tensioners are attached. Alternatively, a compression spring could be configured to urge a single finger tensioner toward the housing upon flexing of the finger to which the finger tensioner is attached. [0016] In still yet another feature, the dynamic hand splint additionally includes: a thumb support section releasably attached to the forearm support section; and a thumb tensioner releasably attached to the thumb support section and configured to be releasably attached to a thumb such that, when the thumb is flexed from an extended position toward a flexed position, the thumb is urged by the thumb tensioner toward an extended position. With respect to this feature, actuation of the thumb tensioner preferably does not actuate a finger tensioner (i.e., they are not interconnected to move together). Similarly, actuation of a finger tensioner does not actuate the thumb tensioner. [0017] In another feature of the invention, the forearm support section includes an interior surface comprising a removable padded lining. The lining further may include a non-skid material in order to prevent distal migration of said forearm support section. The same or a similar non-skid material may be included on the volar sides of digit sleeves and/or on a palm covering to assist in gripping of an object by the hand using the dynamic hand splint. [0018] In still yet another feature, the hand support section includes, on a dorsal side thereof, quick-release attachment sites for changing of the finger tensioners releasably attached to the hand support section. By changing of the finger tensioners, differing resistances to the flexing of the fingers can readily and easily be provided. [0019] Another aspect of the invention includes a method for donning elements of a dynamic hand splint, comprising the steps of: attaching a forearm support section and a hand support section to a forearm; attaching finger tensioners to the hand support section; and attaching each of the finger tensioners to a respective finger such that, when the finger is flexed from an extended position toward a flexed position, the finger is urged by the finger tensioner toward an extended position. Continue reading about Dynamic hand splints... Full patent description for Dynamic hand splints Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Dynamic hand splints patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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